Chapter 2: Sword Practice

Bai Jingxian put on his robes properly and walked to the courtyard in front of the door.

Hua Yuliu had already begun her daily sword practice.

Her skirt fluttered and leaped.

Under the sunlight, it bloomed like flowers.

Her icy skin and jade bones appeared crystalline and translucent in the sun.

Her wrist turned.

The slender sword lightly waved.

Sword flowers scattered and flew.

Fine ripples continuously stirred in the air.

Moonlit Sword Art, the ancestral sword technique of Moonlit Grace Sect.

Among the Heaven, Earth, Mysterious, and Yellow four tiers, it could rank in the Earth tier.

Bai Jingxian did not make a sound.

Even if he wanted to cough, he would cover his mouth and forcibly hold it in.

Gazing at the graceful figure dancing with the sword before him, Bai Jingxian’s eyes gradually became entranced.

Every time Hua Yuliu practiced swordsmanship, he would certainly watch from the side.

Aside from observing the sword art to gain insights, when she practiced, she was like a leaping spirit, making him utterly captivated.

Hua Yuliu’s brows slightly furrowed.

She was about to stop.

Bai Jingxian spoke softly.

“No problem.”

“Senior Sister, continue practicing.”

Clearly, the color had completely drained from his cheeks.

His body trembled slightly.

Yet his face still wore a calm expression.

Hua Yuliu lightly acknowledged with a sound.

She continued dancing with the sword in the courtyard.

The Moonlit Sword Art consisted of nine forms in total.

Hua Yuliu had currently mastered six forms.

After fully performing all six forms, Hua Yuliu sheathed her sword.

Fine beads of sweat appeared on her forehead.

As usual, Bai Jingxian took out a handkerchief from his storage ring.

Hua Yuliu did not take it.

She said indifferently.

“Cultivators can achieve self-purification, keeping the body free of impurities.”

“But it costs spiritual energy, doesn’t it?”

Bai Jingxian chuckled lightly.

He moved the handkerchief closer to her eyes.

Hua Yuliu accepted his handkerchief.

After wiping her forehead, she returned it to Bai Jingxian.

The handkerchief carried a pleasant floral fragrance.

Bai Jingxian put it away and smiled.

“A handkerchief used by Senior Sister must be properly treasured.”

Hua Yuliu seemed accustomed to it.

A trace of disdain appeared in her beautiful eyes.

“What would Senior Sister like to eat?”

Hua Yuliu slightly lowered her gaze.

She had intended to say that cultivators do not need to eat.

But what came out was.

“Anything.”

“Good.”

Bai Jingxian grinned widely.

*

In the kitchen, Bai Jingxian was earnestly cooking cabbage and vermicelli in the pot.

There were also two eggs inside.

Beside it was a plate of pre-sliced cooked beef.

And a small dish of fennel beans.

Hua Yuliu sat in the small pavilion in the courtyard.

She did nothing.

She simply watched Bai Jingxian busily working in the kitchen in silence.

Cultivators can abstain from grains and go without food all day.

But appetite is the most basic human desire.

Therefore, most cultivators occasionally still satisfy their craving for food.

The cabbage was grown in his own courtyard.

The beef had been prepared by Bai Jingxian some days ago.

Perhaps because the meals Bai Jingxian made were exceptionally delicious, even Hua Yuliu, who had abstained from grains for many years, occasionally craved them.

His culinary skills were excellent.

As if he was born with them.

Clearly, no one had seen him diligently study them.

Yet the dishes he made grew increasingly tasty day by day.

Perhaps in places where no one could see, he was secretly pondering them on his own?

After all, hiding his abilities was something Bai Jingxian loved to do most.

Crushing opponents held no challenge.

Whenever he sparred with others, he always liked to impose some restrictions on himself.

He said it was to add fun to the challenge.

Today’s meal was relatively light.

But still delicious.

Bai Jingxian brought the dishes to the pavilion.

He then served rice into a porcelain bowl for Hua Yuliu.

If one looked closely at that porcelain bowl, its walls were carved with dragons and painted with phoenixes—exquisitely refined.

The senior sister and junior brother sat at the stone table in the pavilion eating.

Bai Jingxian said nothing.

He simply devoured his food.

“Why are you eating so hurriedly?”

“If Master comes later, there won’t be any left.”

“Master got drunk last night.”

“At this hour, she’s probably still sound asleep.”

“Then that’s good.”

Bai Jingxian mumbled unclearly.

Hua Yuliu ate in small bites.

Her expression was very calm.

But if one looked carefully, her eyes seemed to have softened a bit.

Hua Yuliu set down her bowl.

She picked up the handkerchief and wiped her mouth.

“While you were bedridden, a major event occurred.”

“A major event?”

“The saintess of Sword Inquiry Gate, Pei Siyun, murdered her fellow disciples.”

“She’s already on Sword Inquiry Gate’s wanted list.”

“Pei Siyun.”

Bai Jingxian murmured.

Only then did he recall that Pei Siyun was a genius rarely seen in a century at Sword Inquiry Gate.

The entire sect treated her like a treasure.

She had once been revered as a model figure for the younger generation of the righteous path.

It was hard to imagine her doing such a thing.

Bai Jingxian did not know Pei Siyun personally.

He only knew she was his most threatening opponent in the upcoming Central Continent Grand Tournament.

But now.

“Has she been caught?”

“No.”

Hua Yuliu shook her head.

“After the matter was exposed, Pei Siyun vanished from the world.”

“There has been no further news of her.”

“But this is good news for you.”

Bai Jingxian understood Hua Yuliu’s meaning.

Now that this had happened, Pei Siyun’s participation slot would surely be revoked.

The greatest threat in the Central Continent Grand Tournament was gone.

It would be relatively easier for Bai Jingxian to take first place.

Bai Jingxian was still thinking about Pei Siyun.

Hua Yuliu stood up.

She smoothed her skirt.

She looked down at Bai Jingxian.

“I’m leaving.”

“Won’t Senior Sister stay a while longer?”

Hua Yuliu replied indifferently.

“What? Do you have something?”

“Nothing.”

“But I want Senior Sister to stay.”

Hua Yuliu was silent for a long time.

Her tender pink lips finally moved slightly.

“Are you asking something of me?”

Bai Jingxian’s eyes flickered with evasion.

Hua Yuliu glanced at him sideways.

“If you have something to say, say it directly.”

“It’s just… lying alone is really boring.”

“I want Senior Sister to keep me company for a while.”

“If lying is boring, you can cultivate.”

“I’m injured now.”

“Your injury is already healed.”

“After finishing the medicine, it doesn’t count as fully healed.”

“You still need a long period of quiet recuperation.”

Hua Yuliu was momentarily speechless.

She felt he seemed to make sense.

But the choice was in her hands.

She had every right to refuse.

“Could it be you want to do something improper again?”

“What does Senior Sister mean?”

Bai Jingxian blinked innocently.

A trace of confusion showed in his eyes.

A hint of anger instantly appeared in Hua Yuliu’s eyes.

“You know very well in your heart.”

Bai Jingxian tried hard to recall.

He seemed to suddenly realize.

He answered innocently.

“Does giving Senior Sister a foot bath count?”

Hua Yuliu gave a cold laugh.

She said nothing.

If it were just a foot bath, Hua Yuliu wouldn’t have reacted so strongly.

She had always disliked physical contact with others.

Especially with the opposite sex.

The one who gave her a foot bath was her own junior brother.

Not to mention the strange look in his eyes when he did it.

Moreover, on ordinary days, Bai Jingxian would always find excuses to touch her hand or deliberately tease her.

If not for the fact that he was currently injured, Hua Yuliu would have already whipped him until he howled.

“Fine.”

“Senior Sister can do as she pleases.”

“After all, the choice is yours.”

“Leave if you want, stay if you want.”

Bai Jingxian let out a sigh as if in regret.

As though he had long foreseen Hua Yuliu’s choice.

Hua Yuliu raised her beautiful brows slightly.

She knew this was his tactic of playing hard to get.

But he clearly knew her emotions were extremely faint.

So why say such things?

Bai Jingxian was about to pick up the bowls and chopsticks on the stone table.

But the bowls and chopsticks automatically flew up.

Bai Jingxian raised his eyes to look forward.

Hua Yuliu’s expression remained indifferent.

“You go back and rest.”

“I’ll stay and handle it.”

“Thank you for the trouble, Senior Sister.”

Bai Jingxian returned to his room.

But he lay at the edge of the bed, secretly watching Hua Yuliu busily working outside the door.

A trace of imperceptible mischief flashed in the depths of his eyes.

The corners of his lips curved up slightly.